Notable News

Text Size

3 Biblical Women Who Show Us How to Be Courageous

We might gain wisdom as we age, but we certainly aren't freed from life's worries, and it can be easy to let fear get the best of us. Whether we're facing a move into a new assisted living community, worries about a new diagnosis or simply day-to-day concerns that can sometimes seem overwhelming, God is with us, helping us making our individual journeys. Consider these three Biblical women, who faced frightening circumstances with courage, wisdom and trust in the Lord.

Zipporah

Exodus 4 holds a short, oft-overlooked story about Moses around the 24th verse. In this story, God was angry with Moses and about to cause him to die because of his sin, which appears to be a failure to circumcise his son. Circumcision was a sign of the sacred covenant between God and the people of Israel.

Moses's wife, Zipporah, immediately took up a flint stone and circumcised her son, touching the foreskin to Moses's feet, correcting the oversight. Zipporah's quick understanding of God's will and the willingness to act to obey Him kept Moses alive.

Hannah

Hannah was so distraught over her lack of child that her fervent prayers — during which her mouth moved silently — caused the priest to think she was drunk. But when she explained that she was not drunk but praying to the Lord in all earnestness, the priest blessed her and sent her on her way.

And God answered Hannah's prayers with a son — Samuel. Hannah recognized that this blessing came from God and that Samuel belonged ultimately to the Lord, so she brought him to the priest and dedicated him to service to God. Hannah's faith in God and faithfulness to God meant that the prophet Samuel was prepared to name Israel's king when the time came.

Esther

No discussion of courageous women in the Bible would be complete without Esther, who risked her life to go before the king and plead for mercy on behalf of the entire Jewish nation in exile. Esther trusted God and the power of prayer — she called upon the entire exiled nation of Israel to fast and pray before she took up the task that might have gotten her killed. In the end, Esther, with God's help, was successful.

Lessons to Learn From These Women

Men and women alike can learn valuable lessons about courage from these Old Testament stories. God is not only with you in this moment, but he is also equipping you to approach whatever life has thrown in your way. Not everyone has the same worldly success that Esther did, but everyone can trust in God, be willing to obey his commands and prepare themselves to face different challenges with prayer and Scripture study.

If you're struggling to face something in your life, consider talking to the caring staff at Bethesda Gardens. We also have an on-site chaplain that is happy to talk about spiritual matters or Scripture with you, and you can find out more about Bible stories during worship services or Bible studies within the community.